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A number of regional governors and presidential plenipotentiary envoys took part in the videoconference, along with members of the Government Cabinet and the heads of relevant ministries and agencies.

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President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev: Good afternoon,

This is the fourth videoconference on execution of presidential instructions. I think this is a convenient way to organise things because it dispenses with having to tear you all away from your work and have you sit through tedious meetings, while at the same time giving us the chance to discuss in detail the execution of presidential instructions on the biggest and most complex issues before us at the moment. We are linked up right now with senior Government members, regional heads, heads of key agencies, and plenipotentiary presidential envoys. I hope this will enable us to have a quality discussion.

At the last meeting in October last year, we discussed the proposal to implement a special programme enabling us to monitor the overall picture of how presidential instructions are being carried out. There are many instructions, but the way they are carried out is not always ideal by any means, and the proposed system would show us in real time who is behind deadline, and who is not carrying out instructions in proper fashion. I want to hear from you how this work is advancing. We also discussed improvements to the regulations in this area, including the need for a draft presidential order, the need to set criteria for instructions’ type, execution, and a few other things. I want to hear what has been done so far. 

Our agenda today covers several very important instructions that concern the interests of millions of people. This is above all the effectiveness of the state procurement system. This subject has been getting a lot of attention in various circles of late, with experts and ordinary people discussing what they think is good and bad in the system. The budget allocates considerable amounts of money for state purchases, but organising the tenders is a complex process, and many tenders are not organised in the proper way. As I said here during one of our earlier meetings, some of this money is quite simply embezzled. This is a completely unacceptable situation of course, and all of us – those responsible for organising the tenders, the Government, and the law enforcement agencies – all need to combat this. I mentioned this issue in my Address [to the Federal Assembly] last year too.

I repeat that we need clear, transparent and effective rules in the state procurement system, especially as concerns planning state procurement needs, setting the initial purchase prices for goods and services, and managing and monitoring the way contracts are performed. This system must ensure that budget money is spent rationally. I have instructed the Government to draft new legislation in this area, and I want to hear today what has been done so far.

Looking after the young generation is another very important subject that we discuss often, and it is another of the issues I raised in my Address. I want to look today at preparations for organising summer holiday camps for children. Our children need to have the safest possible and most comfortable environment for their holidays. We will discuss this today, and perhaps at the next videoconference we will look in more detail at protecting children’s lawful rights and interests, which was one of the most important matters I raised in my Address.

One other issue is income declarations. I gave the instruction to verify the accuracy of information officials provided in their income declarations for 2009, and I want to hear the report on this matter today.

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